Wednesday 06/18/14

Media mogul Rupert Murdoch called on Republicans to pass immigration reform in an op-ed posted Wednesday in the Wall Street Journal, one of Murdoch's U.S. media outlets.

Murdoch cites his disappointment over the primary loss last week by Majority Leader Eric Cantor and expressed concern that Cantor's loss will cause the GOP to push aside any attempts at immigration reform. Given Murdoch's ownership of not only the WSJ but FOX News, Murdoch's opinion on immigration reform has the potential to generate synergy for Republicans to consider possible action on immigration.

"People are looking for leadership -- those who stand for something and offer a vision for how to take America forward and keep our nation economically competitive. One of the most immediate ways to revitalize our economy is by passing immigration reform."

House Republicans will offer a glimpse of just what direction they could go on such an issue when they take votes on replacements in House leadership. Some ardent opponents of immigration reform are looking to back candidates who oppose "amnesty." House GOP members will vote on a new majority leader and whip who will serve in those positions until another leadership vote after the mid-term elections.

Agricultural groups have sided with other business groups in advocating for immigration reform. They have advocated for both legalizing those undocumented farm workers and create an easier system for bringing in guest workers. Murdoch agreed with the importance this labor force plays in our economy.

"If we are serious about advancing our economic future and about creating job growth here in America, then we must realize that it is suicidal to suggest closing our doors to the world's entrepreneurs, or worse, to continue with large-scale deportations," he wrote.

Murdoch cited that immigrants are entrepreneurial, being responsible for 28% of all new businesses in 2011. He also acknowledged that it's complicated to legalize roughly 11 million people now here illegally. Still, Murdoch called on not only legalizing those people but creating a path to citizenship. Some House Republicans view that idea with great abhorrence.

"Some politicians and pundits will argue that this is not the time to bring immigration reform to the congressional floor—that it will frighten an already anxious workforce and encourage more extreme candidates, especially on the right. They may be right about the short-term politics, but they are dead wrong about the long-term interests of our country," Murdoch argued.

Murdoch said the president has been prudent to encourage a bi-partisan solution from Congress rather than act aggressively through executive orders. However, the chairman of News Corp. said it is time for Congress to act.

What an odd alliance driven by greed! Democrats salivate over millions of new voters that will presumably vote in favor of them. Ag and business interests see a pool of low wage workers they can hire to avoid paying wages that families can actually live on. Meanwhile, we the people support millions of non-working people through unemployment, food stamps and easy to qualify for disability payments. Expanding the number of low wage guest workers will do nothing to reduce the number of un or under employed. Simple economics says that if you raise the supply, in this case of labor, you reduce the price - wages. Subsidize something and you get more of it - in this case people not working. The left is very successful at painting those against immigration and amnesty as racist, but the reality is deportation and closing the borders is the best economic route to take for the average American. I feel sorry for those who would be hurt by such a policy, but in reality they shouldn't be here.

Posted by David Kessler at
8:53AM CDT 06/19/14

David Kessler
Such an insulting and uncalled for comment from all perspectives. Who exactly is David Kessler to say "we the people"? WE the people have veterans and active duty troops on food stamps and/or unemployment and disability benefits. How does that jive with your comments? I hope you are not a "farmer" complaining about spending on government programs.

Posted by Don Thompson at
7:26AM CDT 06/20/14

Are some on the correct page or article? The analogy of Mr. Kessler nor the article itself refers to veterans or veteran benefits. The subject matter is illegal immigration and the related issues.

Posted by Bonnie Dukowitz at
12:53PM CDT 06/20/14

Obviously illegal immigration has been a hot topic since the first crossed illegally here in 1492. How far back should the GOP go in their deportations?

Posted by Jay Mcginnis at
8:36PM CDT 06/22/14

Mr. Thompson, I thank anyone who served our country in the military, and obviously if they suffered a disability in service to the country we owe them care and a living, something we have not done well. If we have active duty troops on food stamps, shame on us for not supporting our men and women on duty to provide them and their families with a decent standard of living. I don't quite understand why active duty troops would get unemployment benefits. My point was we are supporting more people than ever who do not work and pay taxes. Bringing in millions of new immigrants will make it even harder to find jobs for these unemployed folks, most of whom I believe do want to work but can't find jobs that pay a decent wage. Creating a huge new pool of workers to take substandard wage jobs will do nothing to raise the wages for those jobs to living wage levels. My point was the ag and business interests want these workers so they can continue to pay $7 - $10 per hour instead of the $15 to $20 per hour it would take to give workers a living wage.
Also, for clarity, I raise livestock and the only federal government money I have received is for conservation programs. It consisted of funds to fence off and remove cattle from riparian areas.
As for Mr. McGinnis, the difference now is our economy is only growing at a very low rate. While I don't think that there were laws against folks coming here in 1492 so it could not have been illegal, although Native Americans, which I am part, wish it had been, the reality is that we needed immigrants in the past because we had a vast country growing at an extremely fast rate. There was not an unemployed population to call on to take the jobs that needed to be done. Your comment offends me because it hints that those who are against immigration are racist while what I am trying to show is that there are solid economic reasons why now is not the time for bringing new people into the country.

Posted by David Kessler at
11:38AM CDT 06/23/14

I agree Mr. Kessler, how unfortunate, so many are governed by emotional rhetoric, rather than practical, intelligent thought.

Posted by Bonnie Dukowitz at
5:46PM CDT 06/23/14

I can not see anything in my previous post that hints at racism, maybe you expect to be seen that way being in your position? 1492 there were no laws, you are right and without any form of government oversight an entire people were massacred, raped, diseased and pushed of their land by a group of people that believed they worshipped a superior god and therefor permitted by divine province to cause such a genocide. There were no laws to be broken but what about morality? I am not for "open borders" but this country has a serious problem and it is not being fixed by the "party of no".

Posted by Jay Mcginnis at
10:34PM CDT 06/23/14

Good thing for the rest of the world, Spains' predominant presence was South of the Rio Grande. Queen Isabella was certainly not the Virgin Mary. Cortez would have made the modern day Dictators appear to be cream puffs. Where in the world, Jay, did what you describe not happen?

Posted by Bonnie Dukowitz at
6:04AM CDT 06/24/14

Mr. Kessler, It is a shame that many of our troops are on assistance and it has been that way for awhile. By the way, many of those troops are non-US citizens putting their lives on the line so "real Americans" can have their 1st Amendment rights to condemn them being here. Let me remind you that your non subsidized cattle or hogs are eating or were eating tons of subsidized grains and traveling to market on government infrastructure. We have millions of immigrants here now. Give us a "reasonable" solution.
Bonnie, I think a brush up on your Spanish historical influence may be in order. How does a comparison of past bad actors affect our decision on current immigration policy? Do we need to readdress the crusades versus current Islamic phobia?

Posted by Don Thompson at
7:57AM CDT 06/24/14

Very good Don, I agree with you except that non-US citizen troops are fighting for our 1st amendment, they are in fact fighting for oil, nothing else and sadly the fact that the "all volunteer" army exists and is made up of people "earning" citizenship allows such wars as Iraq to go on for decades. Had that army been of drafted US citizens that war would never had happened or at least been over with years ago. "The Troops" are no longer the same guys that the Right imagine them to be, ironically they are cheering on the people they want to deport.

Fri Jul 31, 2015 04:17 PM CDTPresident Barack Obama signed off on the temporary bill Friday, but indicated his frustration with Congress over the inability to approve a long-term highway bill. He noted that the lack of a long-term bill makes it hard for governors and mayors to set priorities for roads, bridges, airports and ports.

Thu Jul 30, 2015 10:00 AM CDTA number of agriculture interest groups are among 269 organizations that asked President Barack Obama Wednesday to stop the release of more stringent national ambient air quality standards by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, set for release sometime this year.

Mon Jul 27, 2015 11:35 AM CDTThe White House announced Monday it was launching an initiative highlighting the "American Business Act on Climate Pledge. The effort spotlighted 13 large American companies pushing for action on climate change. The announcement had some emphasis on agriculture, food processing and continued opportunities for landowners to make money through renewable energy, particularly expanded wind production.

Thu Jul 23, 2015 01:44 PM CDTUSDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service is launching a conservation survey of farmers and ranchers to get an idea of what kinds of practices farmers are implementing, according to a news release from USDA.

Wed Jul 22, 2015 02:50 PM CDTEnvironmentalists and others who contend the only way to reduce nutrients runoff into the Gulf of Mexico is through regulation, may not be happy with the release of the final Illinois nutrient loss reduction strategy Tuesday that is a virtual copy of the Iowa strategy hammered on by critics as 'too soft.'

Mon Jul 20, 2015 01:17 PM CDTFor a third-consecutive year a cover crops survey of 1,200 farmers across the country continue to see bumps in corn and soybean yields following the use of cover crops. In addition, the Conservation Technology Information Center Cover Crop Survey recorded an increase in the number of cover crop acres planted nationwide.

Fri Jul 17, 2015 03:08 PM CDTThe Senate Finance Committee on Friday rolled out a package of business tax breaks that the committee will take up on Tuesday. The plan deals with about 50 individual and business taxes that would translate into about $95.6 billion in overall tax breaks for people and companies.

Wed Jul 15, 2015 12:27 PM CDTIn the debate over agricultural market access in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, the European agricultural group Copa-Cogeca has spelled out some conditions its leaders believe need to be met to make the European trade deal a benefit for both sides of the Atlantic.

Mon Jul 13, 2015 11:30 AM CDTI got an email over the weekend from my congressman, an enthusiastic freshman, who is boasting that Congress, as a government agency, has cut its own budget. Other government agencies should do the same.

Thu Jul 9, 2015 01:30 PM CDTA bill that would make significant cuts to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency budget was grounded Thursday, after Republican members objected to an amendment passed by voice vote Tuesday night to ban the Confederate flag at national cemeteries, according to The Hill.

Tue Jul 7, 2015 11:33 AM CDTThe American Farm Bureau Federation sent a letter Monday to every member of the House of Representatives asking lawmakers to "reject any proposals that amend, repeal, defund or otherwise modify or interfere with the Renewable Fuels Standard."

Wed Jul 1, 2015 02:42 PM CDTThe U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba praised the announcement Wednesday by President Barack Obama that the U.S. and Cuba will officially re-establish diplomatic relations on July 20 with the re-opening of respective embassies.

Mon Jun 29, 2015 05:06 PM CDTIt would generally be considered a pretty rare occurrence that the National Cattlemen's Beef Association finds itself in agreement with the group Food & Water Watch. But the two disparate groups nonetheless find themselves equally appalled at USDA for allowing imported beef from northern Argentina and 14 states Brazil known for FMD outbreaks.

Fri Jun 26, 2015 11:59 AM CDTLeaders from the group AGree this week called on Congress to take a top-to-bottom review of agricultural research in the country. AGree's leaders issued a paper breaking down issues surrounding research and development in agriculture and food production. The group AGree was formed to seek consensus among different stakeholders on policy areas important to agriculture.

Wed Jun 24, 2015 02:24 PM CDTSenate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts and his committee's ranking member, Sen. Debbie Stabenow, head into a hearing Thursday clearly divided on the issue of country-of-origin labeling for meat. Roberts is pushing for full repeal of the labels while Stabenow is pitching a voluntary approach to the problem.

Tue Jun 16, 2015 08:44 AM CDTAhead of a scheduled June 25 public hearing in Kansas City, Kansas, on the Renewable Fuel Standard Iowa's Congressional delegation is asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to host a public hearing in Iowa.

Fri Jun 12, 2015 12:51 PM CDTThe House Energy and Commerce Committee will weigh in on the debate over biotech labeling laws next week with a hearing over legislation by Rep. Mike Pompeo, a Republican from Kansas.

Wed Jun 10, 2015 09:33 PM CDTThe House voted 300 to 131 to repeal country of origin labels for meat. While the bill now goes to the Senate, the House vote represents a victory for Canadian and Mexican livestock producers.